Gas-actuated turbine-driven compressor



, mmm. 12 Y194:5

Aug. 17, 1948. y J. E. VAN ACKER 2,447,292

- GS`ACTUATED TURBIINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR Y I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y ATTORNEY All@ 17, 1948 J. E. VAN AcKER 2,447,292

l GAS-ACTUATED TURBINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR Filed oct. 12, 194s 2 Shana-sheet 2 v Ta T4.

` ATTORNEY Patented Aug. .17, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE GAS -ACTUATED TURBINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR Joseph E. Van Acker, Haledon, N. J..

Application october 12, 1943, serial No. 505,923

4 claim. (c1. 23o-11e) This invention relates to improvements in gasactuated turbine-driven compressors.

In its broad aspects, my invention may be operated with any gas or vapor to compress any other gas or vapor, but more particularly, it is primarily designed to be operable by the use of exhaust gases to compress air for supercharging aircraft engines.

The principal object of my invention is, in a device of the character specified, to produceV a simplified structure that will be more compact, lighter and more efficient than existing mechanisms of this type, and I achieve this result by combining impeller and turbine blades in a single unitary rotor or wheel that will provide an efiicient carrier element orsupport for both impeller and turbine devices, and I preferably employ one of the faces of such a single wheel or rotor to support turbine blades and the opposite face 'to support impeiler blades.

Another 'object of my invention is to provide eflicient means for cooling a Wheel of the character specified and the turbine blades supported thereon, where such cooling is necessary, as in the case of operation bythe hot exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, and in the vpreferred form of my invention, the coolant fluid is moved through radial passages or rchannels formed in the Wheel and blades by centrifugal force produced by rotation of said wheel, and my rotating wheel Will thus function as a centrifugal pump to suck up and drive the coolant fluid through the body of the wheel and said blades and to exhaust said liquid at the periphery thereof, where suitable means is provided to receive, collect and re-circulate such coolant liquid or fluid.

Another object of my invention is lto provide for actuation or rotation of my rotor or wheel by a flow or movement of gas passing across my said rotor or wheel in a substantially radial' direction, either toward or away from the axis thereof, and to this end, I combine with my said wheel or rotor means for guiding the movement or flow of actuating gas in substantially radial relationship to the said wheel and to arrange turbine blades on a face of the Wheel in position to cause proper impingement thereon of such radially-owing gas for eiiicient rotation or actuation of the wheel, preferably by supporting on a. face of the wheel a plurality of rows of turbine blades disposed in radially extending pairs and employing peripheral and axial conduits for conducting the actuating gas into operative contact with the turbine blades.

Another object of my invention is to employ a hollow shaft to mount my rotor or wheel and to utilize this shaft as one of the conduits for exhausting ,or leading-in the actuating gas in combination with a peripheral conduit extending around the wheel or rotor and cooperating with said hollow shaft to lead in or exhaust actuating gas in accordance with the direction of movement of such gas either toward or away from the axis of the wheel or rotor. j

Another object of my invention is to provide a peripheral casing surrounding my said wheel or rotor that will be adapted to receive, collect and recirculate a coolant liquid or fluid, such as water, through myrotorL-cooling channels, the coolant liquid preferably being passed through a suitable radiator before being recirculated.

These and other objects will appear from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a typicai embodiment thereof.

In these'drawings;

Fig. 1 is a view, in side elevation, of an aircraft engine of conventional radial type with which my turbine-driven compressor is symmetrically connected for operation by exhaust gases and for supercharging; n

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the preferred form of my gas-actuated, turbine-driven compressor; i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,'

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the upper part of my said compressor; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5 5 of the turbine blades preferably employed by me.

Referring now to these drawings, my invention comprises the provision or production of asingle unit combining the functions of a gas-operable turbine and compressor, for air or like gas and in the preferred embodiment comprises the employment of a rotor or wheel i having the double function of supporting turbine elements or blades 3, 3' operable for rotationS of the rotor and also impeller elements or impeller blades 1 operable for compressing air or other likev gas upon such rotation and also combining with such rotor or wheel a casing having suitable separate channels or conduits for receiving, guiding and feeding an actuating gas and preferablyexhaust gases from an internal combustion engine into operable contact with the turbine blades 3, 3' to rotate the l rotor or 'wheel and for receiving air compressed ably for guiding and feeding auch compressed air to the said internal combustionengine.

In the preferred form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, E indicates an internal combustion engine of the type conventionally employed on airplanes and I preferably utilize the exhaust gases from this engine as the operating medium or gas for rotating the rotor or wheel I of my combined turbine and compressor within the turbine-compressor casing TC. As shown, I provide on one face of the rotor or wheel I turbine blades 3, 3 and guide the operating gas from engine E into operating contact with such blades by exhaust-gas pipes op through an annulus or conduit 3i surrounding my said rotor or wheel I and having suitably mounted therein guide-blades 32 arranged to guide the exhaust gas passing through the annulus 3| into impingement against the movable turbine blades, 3, 3'. As shown, the annulus guide blades 32 direct the hot gases radially to impinge against the movable blade 3 on the wheel or rotor and thus to produce an initial impulse for rotation of the rotor I. Upon movement of these blades. the hot gases will then impinge against the stationary blades 4 on a casing disc 4Il which stationary bladesV 4 serve to redirect air gases after leaving the movable blades 3 to impinge against the movable blades 3' and provide an additional impulse for rotation of the rotor I. After leaving the blades 3 the gases pass in a radial direction to the hollow shaft 5 and thence pass axially through said hollow shaft to exhaust the same. As shown, the rotor i is at its axis ilxedly mounted on one end of a hollow shaft 5 rotatable therewith, and said shaft is rotatably supported in a bearing B formed integrally with the annulus III. Said bearing 5 is, as illustrated, provided with stepped bearing-bushings 6', 6A. The periphery Ia of the rotor moves in a dividing channel Ib formed in the turbine casing TC between the two parts thereof comprising the exhaust gas annulus or conduit 3| and an annulus I0 for compressed air or gas hereinafter more particularly specied.

The action of the exhaust gases rotates the wheel I which also supports on its opposite face impeller blades 1. These impeller blades take air from inlet conduit t whichI as shown, is provided with a conventional carburetor 8' and discharge such air at high velocity against diffuser blades 3, suitably supported in the compressed-air annulus III comprising a part of the casing TC.

The rim of the rotor I facing said compressedair annulus III is provided with a labyrinth lc to limit the leakage of compressed air or gas into the channel Ib and annulus 3|. The blades l convert velocity into pressure in said annulus III and the air under pressure is then delivered through pipes I I to the point of utilization, which is preferably to supercharge the airplane engine E as shown.

A cooling system is necessary if high output is ow through singularly-drilled holes Il, Il' in the turbine blades t, 3'. At the outer end of each hole Il is an oriflced plug Il which has a small orifice or hole Il' to permit a limited iiow of coolant therethrough. This is desirable so that the es Il may be completely lled with coolant. The coolant is under a high centrifugal head in the passages Il and Il, which causes the coolant to be thrown forcibly at high velocity from the orifices I9. The coolant is then caught by the catcher casing 2l comprising an annular passage open at its inner circumference and having4 a liquid-receiving portion radially aligned with the discharge means on the rotor and, at its outer circumference, terminating in a wall having a curve which will intercept and divert the liquid as it leaves the discharge means and will thereby cause the liquid to expend its velocity, The casing 2li then conducts lthe liquid to the outlet 2I where it is circulated through radiators not shown and back to pipe I2.

Seal rings 22 are used to prevent free escape of coolant where it passes from the stationary transfer ring Il to transfer holes I4.

'I'he ends of the turbine blades are counter drilled and reamed to provide accurate seals for the plugs 23.

The turbine blades 3, 3 with the angularlydrilled holes I3, I8 leading to stoppered cylindrical lterminal cavities 24, 24' are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Said cavities have suitable Stoppers or plugs 2-5 at their outer ends so as to provide with the angularly-drilled bores or holes II, i8' a continuous channel for the coolant.

It will be seen that when the new turbine wheel is used for the purpose of supercharging a conventional internal combustion airplane engine, the engine exhaust is caused to now radially from the outer perimeter of the wheel, through the turbine blades 3. The impulse thus produced causes the rotor or wheel to revolve at high speed, inducting air in at the mouth of the impeller casing and discharging it at the ends of the impeller blades where it impinges against the guide blades 3 which convert velocityto pressure and is then utilized to supercharge the engine E. It will be obvious that the exhaust `flow can be either radially inward or outward. The arrangement shown facilitates the placing of a supercharger close to the engine crankcase and also aords a symmetric arrangement of pipes and conduit, it being understood that a symmetric arrangement is necessary to effect the proper distribution of air for combustion in such an engine.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A gas-acutated turbine-driven compressor, comprising a shaft, a rotor mounted on said shaft, turbine-blade means fixed on one'side face of said rotor and having gas-impinging surfaces arranged to guide gases impinging thereon toward the axis of the rotor, means disposed at one end of said turbine-blade means for guiding actuating gases into impingement with said turbine-blade means, radial conduction means arranged at the opposite end of said turbine-blade means for guiding said actuating gases radially along said rotor face, hollow shaft means communicating with said radial-conduction means for exhausting said gases axially of the rotor and discharging the gas therethrough on the side of the rotor opposite the turbine blades, and blade-means mounted on the opposite side face of said rotorfor compressing air. 1

2. A. gas-actuated turbine driven compressor comprising a shaft, a rotor mounted on said 5 shaft, turbine blades supported on one side face o! said rotor, an annulm surrounding said rotor having a gas channel in communication with said face ot the rotor, guide blades in said gas channel for guiding the actuating gas into impingement with said turbine blades to rotate the rotor, a hollow shaft for exhausting the gas axially of the rotor and discharging the gas therethrough on the side of the rotor opposite the turbine blades. and means on the opposite side face of the rotor for compressing air.

3. A gas-actuated turbine-driven compresso comprising a shaft, a rotor body mounted on said shaft, turbine blades supported on one side face of said rotor, means for guiding the actu-g` atinggas to move radially along said face and in such movement to impinge against the turbine blades to rotate said rotor. said rotor body and turbine blades being provided with communicate`- i118 passages adapted by centrifugal torce upon rotation of said rotor to pass through said roto;l body and turbine blades a coolant liquid and to eject said coolant liquid from the periphery of the rotor, coolant now-restricting means at the peripheral end of said passages, a source of coolantliquid supply, means at said periphery for receiving and collecting said coolant upon election, and means on the opposite side face of said rotor lor compressing air.

4. A gas-actuated turbine-driven compressor comprising a shaft, a rotor body mounted on said shaft, turbine blades supported on one side face o; said rotor. means for guiding the actuating-gas to move radially along said face and in such movement to impinge against the turbine blades to rotate said rotor, said rotor body and turbine blades .beingprovided with communicating passages adapted by centrifugal force upon rotation of said rotor to pass through said rotor body and periphery for receiving and collecting said cool- 6 i s ant upon ejection, and meanson the opposite side face of said rotor for compressing air, said passages comprising a series of rectilinear radial, bores in the rotor having dow-diverting plugs mounted therein and transverse branch bores communicating with said radial bores at opposite sides of said plugsl extending into the turbine blades.

. .roem l. ym scm. assumons crrnn The following references arel of record the ille of this patent:

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France 009. -24. 1m 

